industrial biography-第51部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



bulrushes　and　willows；　which　were　haunted　in　certain　seasons　by　snipe

and　waterfowl。　　An　enterprising　riding…master　had　erected　some

premises　on　a　part　of　the　marsh；　which　he　used　for　a　riding…school；

but　the　speculation　not　answering；　they　were　sold；　and　Henry　Maudslay

became　the　proprietor。　　Hither　he　removed　his　machinery　from　Margaret

Street　in　1810；　adding　fresh　plant　from　time　to　time　as　it　was

required；　and　with　the　aid　of　his　late　excellent　partner　he　built　up

the　far…famed　establishment　of　Maudslay；　Field；　and　Co。　　There　he　went

on　improving　his　old　tools　and　inventing　new　ones；　as　the　necessity

for　them　arose；　until　the　original　slide…lathes　used　for　making　the

block…machinery　became　thrown　into　the　shade　by　the　comparatively

gigantic　machine…tools　of　the　modern　school。　　Yet　the　original　lathes

are　still　to　be　found　in　the　collection　of　the　firm　in　Westminster

Road；　and　continue　to　do　their　daily　quota　of　work　with　the　same

precision　as　they　did　when　turned　out　of　the　hands　of　their　inventor

and　maker　some　sixty　years　ago。



It　is　unnecessary　that　we　should　describe　in　any　great　detail　the

further　career　of　Henry　Maudslay。　　The　rest　of　his　life　was　full　of

useful　and　profitable　work　to　others　as　well　as　to　himself。　　His

business　embraced　the　making　of　flour　and　saw　mills；　mint　machinery；

and　steam…engines　of　all　kinds。　　Before　he　left　Margaret　Street；　in

1807；　he　took　out　a　patent　for　improvements　in　the　steam…engine；　by

which　he　much　simplified　its　parts；　and　secured　greater　directness　of

action。　　His　new　engine　was　called　the　Pyramidal；　because　of　its　form；

and　was　the　first　move　towards　what　are　now　called　Direct…acting

Engines；　in　which　the　lateral　movement　of　the　piston　is　communicated

by　connecting…rods　to　the　rotatory　movement　of　the　crank…shaft。　　Mr。

Nasmyth　says　of　it；　that　〃on　account　of　its　great　simplicity　and

GET…AT…ABILITY　of　parts；　its　compactness　and　self…contained

steadiness；　this　engine　has　been　the　parent　of　a　vast　progeny；　all

more　or　less　marked　by　the　distinguishing　features　of　the　original

design；　which　is　still　in　as　high　favour　as　ever。〃　　Mr。　Maudslay　also

directed　his　attention　in　like　manner　to　the　improvement　of　the

marine　engine；　which　he　made　so　simple　and　effective　as　to　become　in

a　great　measure　the　type　of　its　class；　and　it　has　held　its　ground

almost　unchanged　for　nearly　thirty　years。　　The　'Regent；'　which　was　the

first　steamboat　that　plied　between　London　and　Margate；　was　fitted

with　engines　by　Maudslay　in　1816；　and　it　proved　the　forerunner　of　a

vast　number　of　marine　engines；　the　manufacture　of　which　soon　became

one　of　the　most　important　branches　of　mechanical　engineering。



Another　of　Mr。　Maudslay's　inventions　was　his　machine　for　punching

boiler…plates；　by　which　the　production　of　ironwork　of　many　kinds　was

greatly　facilitated。　　This　improvement　originated　in　the　contract

which　he　held　for　some　years　for　supplying　the　Royal　Navy　with　iron

plates　for　ships'　tanks。　　The　operations　of　shearing　and　punching　had

before　been　very　imperfectly　done　by　hand；　with　great　expenditure　of

labour。　　To　improve　the　style　of　the　work　and　lessen　the　labour；

Maudslay　invented　the　machine　now　in　general　use；　by　which　the　holes

punched　in　the　iron　plate　are　exactly　equidistant；　and　the　subsequent

operation　of　riveting　is　greatly　facilitated。　　One　of　the　results　of

the　improved　method　was　the　great　saving　which　was　at　once　effected

in　the　cost　of　preparing　the　plates　to　receive　the　rivets；　the　price

of　which　was　reduced　from　seven　shillings　per　tank　to　ninepence。　　He

continued　to　devote　himself　to　the　last　to　the　improvement　of　the

lathe；in　his　opinion　the　master…machine；　the　life　and　soul　of

engine…turning；　of　which　the　planing；　screw…cutting；　and　other

machines　in　common　use；　are　but　modifications。　　In　one　of　the　early

lathes　which　he　contrived　and　made；　the　mandrill　was　nine　inches　in

diameter；　it　was　driven　by　wheel…gearing　like　a　crane　motion；　and

adapted　to　different　speeds。　　Some　of　his　friends；　on　first　looking　at

it；　said　he　was　going　〃too　fast；〃　but　he　lived　to　see　work　projected

on　so　large　a　scale　as　to　prove　that　his　conceptions　were　just；　and

that　he　had　merely　anticipated　by　a　few　years　the　mechanical　progress

of　his　time。　　His　large　removable　bar…lathe　was　a　highly　important

tool　of　the　same　kind。　　It　was　used　to　turn　surfaces　many　feet　in

diameter。　　While　it　could　be　used　for　boring　wheels；　or　the　side…rods

of　marine　engines；　it　could　turn　a　roller　or　cylinder　twice　or　three

times　the　diameter　of　its　own　centres　from　the　ground…level；　and

indeed　could　drive　round　work　of　any　diameter　that　would　clear　the

roof　of　the　shop。　　This　was　therefore　an　almost　universal　tool；

capable　of　very　extensive　uses。　　Indeed　much　of　the　work　now　executed

by　means　of　special　tools；　such　as　the　planing　or　slotting　machine；

was　then　done　in　the　lathe；　which　was　used　as　a　cutter…shaping

machine；　fitted　with　various　appliances　according　to　the　work。



Maudslay's　love　of　accuracy　also　led　him　from　an　early　period　to

study　the　subject　of　improved　screw…cutting。　　The　importance　of　this

department　of　mechanism　can　scarcely　be　overrated；　the　solidity　and

permanency　of　most　mechanical　structures　mainly　depending　on　the

employment　of　the　screw；　at　the　same　time　that　the　parts　can　be

readily　separated　for　renewal　or　repair。　　Any　one　can　form　an　idea　of

the　importance　of　the　screw　as　an　element　in　mechanical　construction

by　examining　say　a　steam…engine；　and　counting　the　number　of　screws

employed　in　holding　it　together。　　Previous　to　the　time　at　which　the

subject　occupied　the　attention　of　our　mechanic；　the　tools　used　for

making　screws　were　of　the　most　rude　and　inexact　kind。　　The　screws　were

for　the　most　part　cut　by　hand：　　the　small　by　filing；　the　larger　by

chipping　and　filing。　　In　consequence　of　the　great　difficulty　of　making

them；　as　few　were　used　as　possible；　and　cotters；　cotterils；　or

forelocks；　were　employed　instead。　　Screws；　however；　were　to　a　certain

extent　indispensable；　and　each　manufacturing　establishment　made　them

after　their　own　fashion。　　There　was　an　utter　want　of　uniformity。　　No

system　was　observed　as　to　〃pitch；〃　i。e。　　the　number　of　threads　to　the

inch；　nor　was　any　rule　followed　as　to　the　form　of　those　threads。

Every　bolt　and　nut　was　sort　of　specialty　in　itself；　and　neither　owed

nor　admitted　of　any　community　with　its　neighbours。　　To　such　an　extent

was　this　irregularity　carried；　that　all　bolts　and　their　corresponding

nuts　had　to　be　marked　as　belonging　to　each　other；　and　any　mixing　of

them　together　led　to　endless　trouble；　hopeless　confusion；　and

enormous　expense。　　Indeed　none　but　those　who　lived　in　the

comparatively　early　days　of　machine…manufacture　can　form　an　adequate

idea　of　the　annoyance　occasioned　by　the　want　of　system　in　this　branch

of　detail；　or　duly　appreciate　the　services　rendered　by　Maudslay　to

mechanical　engineering　by　the　practical　measures　which　he　was　among

the　first　to　introduce　for　its　remedy。　　In　his　system　of　screw…cutting

machinery；　his　taps　and　dies；　and　screw…tackle　generally；　he　laid　the

foundations　of　all　that　has　since　been　done　in　this　essential　branch

of　machine…construction；　in　which　he　was　so　ably　followed　up　by

several　of　the　eminent　mechanics　brought　up　in　his　school；　and　more

especially　by　Joseph　Clement　and　Joseph　Whitworth。　　One　of　his

earliest　self…acting　screw　lathes；　moved　by　a　guide…screw　and　wheels

after　the　plan　followed　by　the　latter　engineer；　cut　screws　of　large

diameter　and　of　any　required　pitch。　　As　an　illustration　of　its

completeness　and　accuracy；　we　may　mention　that　by　its　means　a　screw

five　feet　in　length；　and　two　inches　in　diameter；　was　cut　with　fifty

threads　to　the　inch；　the　nut　to　fit　on　to　it　being　twelve　inches

long；　and　containing　six　hundred　threads。　　This　screw　was　principally

used　for　dividing　scales　for　astronomical　purposes；　and　by　its　means

divisions　were　produced　so　minute　that　they　could　not　be　detected

without　the　aid　of　a　magnifier。　　The　screw；　which　was　sent　for

exhibition　to　the　Society　of　Arts；　is　still　carefully　preserved

amongst　the　specimens　of　Maudslay's　handicraft　at　the　Lambeth　Works；

and　is　a　piece　of　delicate　work　which　every　skilled　mechanic　will

thoroughly　appreciate。　　Yet　the　tool　by　which　this　fine　piece　of

turning　was　produced　was　not　an　exceptional　tool；　but　was　daily

employed　in　the　ordinary　work　of　the　manufactory。



Like　every　good　workman　who　takes　pride　in　his　craft；　he　kept　his

tools　in　first…rate　order；　clean；　and　tidily　arranged；　so　that　he

could　lay　his　hand　upon　the　thing　he　wanted　at　once；　without　loss　of

time。　　They　are　still　preserved　in　the　state　in　which　he　left　them；

and　strikingly　illustrate　his　love　of　order；　〃nattiness；〃　and

dexterity。　　Mr。　Nasmyth　says　of　him　that　you　could　see　the　man's

character　in　whatever　work　he　turned　out；　and　as　the　connoisseur　in

art　will　exclaim　at　sight　of　a　picture；　〃　That　is　Turner；〃　or　〃That

is　Stansfield；〃　detecting　the　hand　of　the　master　in　it；　so　the

experienced　mechanician；　at　sight　of　one　of　his　machines　or　engines；

will　be　equally　ready　to　exclaim；　〃That　is　Maudslay；〃　for　the

characteristic　style　of　the　master…mind　is　as　clear　to　the

experienced　eye　in　the　case　of　the　finished　machine　as　the　touches　of

the　artist's　pencil　are　in　the　case　of　the　finished　picture。　　Every

mechanical　contrivance　that　became　the　subject　of　his　study　came

forth　from　his　hand　and　mind　rearranged；　simplified；　and　made　new；

with　the　impress　of　his　individuality　stamped　upon　it。　　He　at　once

stripped　the　subject　of　all　unnecessary　complications；　for　he

possessed　a　wonderful　faculty　of　KNOWING　WHAT　TO　DO　WITHOUTthe

result　of　his　clearness　of　insight　into　mechanical　adaptations；　and

the　accurate　and　well…defined　notions　he　had　formed　of　the　precise

object　to　be　accomplished。　　〃Every　member　or　separate　machine　in　the

system　of　block…machinery　says　Mr。　Nasmyth；　〃is　full　of　Maudslay's